Did you know that Australia has three flags? The beautiful rich earthy coloured Aboriginal flag, the colourful Torres Strait Islander flag and the red, white and blue Australian flag with the Union Jack and the Southern Cross.
This is Bernard Nomak Junior’s story about the Torres Strait Islander flag, which his dad designed. He made the flag to show how the people of the Torres Strait islands are different.
We learn that the green band at the top represents the land to the north, Papua New Guinea. The green band at the bottom represents Koey Daudai, mainland Australia, Aboriginal land. The blue represents the sea, which they call malu. Malu connects the Torres Strait islands with other lands. In the centre of the flag is a Dhari (headdress), which represents Torres Strait islanders and their culture. The star represents their ancestors and the five points of that star, the five Torres Strait Island groups.
Our Flag, Our Story tells of a people who care for land and trade with other nations. Even though their land was stolen they keep their traditions and culture alive. They still offer a hand of friendship and peace.
Proudly Torres Strait Islander.
Proudly Aboriginal.
Proudly Australian.
In the back of the book, we learn more about the Torres Strait Islander people, their languages, foods and celebrations.
This is an important book which should be in every library.
Reviewed by Jane Stephens
Age Guide 5+
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Bernard Namok Jnr is a Torres Strait Islander man from Thursday Island. He is the son of the late Bernard Namok, designer of the Torres Strait Islander Flag. He co-wrote and co-produced the Screen Australia documentary Carry the Flag (2017) which celebrated the 25th anniversary of the flag’s creation. He also worked on a radio documentary for the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia called Let it Fly: The Namok’s Legacy (2019), that explores the copyright issues surrounding the flag.
Thomas Mayo is a Kaurareg Aboriginal and Kalkalgal, Erubamle Torres Strait Islander man. He is a signatory and advocate of the Uluru Statement from the Heart. He is the author of six books with Hardie Grant Publishing and has many articles and essays published.
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
Tori-Jay Mordey is an established illustrator and artist based in Meanjin/Brisbane.
Born on Thursday Island in the Torres Strait, she is descended from the Meriam and Maluyigal clans. Her published works include Bakir & Bi co-written with Jillian Boyd (2013), and In the City I See. Her other works include illustrating the portrait of Cathy Freeman in Shout Out to the Girls (2018) and the Children’s Picture Book A Blue Kind of Day (2022, Kokila).
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